Boca Raton Police Services Department Noise Complaints PDF

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Standard Operating Procedure 41.02 NOISE COMPLAINTS Revised: October 8, 2020 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to establish guidelines and procedures for the response and follow-up to noise complaints in cases where the complaina...

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Standard Operating Procedure 41.02 NOISE COMPLAINTS Revised: October 8, 2020 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to establish guidelines and procedures for the response and follow-up to noise complaints in cases where the complainant desires law enforcement officer (LEO) contact. II. PROCEDURES: A. INITIAL RESPONSE: 1. Upon arrival, the LEO shall determine the nature and origin of the noise. 2. If the complainant would like to meet, the LEO shall make every effort to observe the violation from the complainant’s perspective. (e.g. from the complainant’s home, apartment, business, etc.). 3. The LEO shall determine whether the noise is excessive and in violation of an applicable City Ordinance. 4. If the noise is excessive, the LEO will request a code compliance officer through Communications. a. If a code compliance officer is on duty, the public safety dispatcher (PSD) will request him/her meet with the LEO on scene. b. If a code compliance officer is not on duty or is unavailable, the PSD will relay that information to the requesting LEO. 5. If Code Enforcement responds, the LEO will assist the code compliance officer to address the violation and document the same in the call notes or an Incident Report if requested. 6. If Code Enforcement is not available to respond and a violation did occur, the LEO will advise the complainant and document his/her findings in an Incident Report. The LEO will notify the complainant that there will be follow up with Code Enforcement and initiate the follow up procedures below. Effective: November 26, 2008 Revised: October 8, 2020 Noise Complaints SOP No. 41.02 Page 1 of 2 7. If the investigation reveals that a violation did not occur, the LEO shall explain to the complainant the reasoning behind the determination and document same in the call notes. 8. If the noise complaint is still occurring, the LEO should attempt to mitigate the noise by requesting the violator to lower the volume or cease the activity creating the noise. 9. Nothing in this written directive shall prevent the LEO from applying applicable State Statutes to resolve the situation through a notice to appear or physical arrest should circumstances require such action. B. FOLLOW-UP: 1. If Code Enforcement is unavailable and the LEO determined that a violation occurred, the reporting LEO shall notify his/her supervisor that a substantiated noise complaint has been submitted. 2. The supervisor shall forward the report to his/her watch commander. 3. The watch commander shall forward the report to the Chief Code Administrator within the City’s Code Enforcement Division and notify the district commander. 4. The LEO shall be prepared to testify at a Special Master administrative hearing, if necessary. Approved: Michele Miuccio Chief of Police Effective: November 26, 2008 Revised: October 8, 2020 Date: Noise Complaints SOP No. 41.02 Page 2 of 2